There will be a new No. 1 team in NCAA Division II women’s basketball — the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns.

Nationally second-ranked Arkansas Tech (8-0) used 64 percent shooting from the field in the second half to pull away from the Texas Woman’s University Pioneers for a 75-60 win at the University of West Florida Field House in Pensacola on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Suns’ win — combined with No. 1 Bentley University’s 85-71 loss at C.W. Post on Dec. 18 — should vault Arkansas Tech to the No. 1 spot in the USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II top 25 when the new rankings are released on Tuesday.

Jessica Weatherford scored a season-high 19 points for the Golden Suns on Saturday. She was 9-of-14 from the field.

Tech’s Natalia Santos added 16 points and nine rebounds, while Rosie Silva had 15 points, six rebounds and six assists.

But the biggest plays of the day were made by a pair of Golden Suns’ bench players.

Sarah Martin hit a 3-pointer with 14:05 remaining that gave Arkansas Tech a 44-40 lead. Moments later, Martin made a steal and outlet pass that led to a 3-point play for Silva. The Suns led 49-41 with 12:55 to go.

Texas Woman’s responded with five straight points, but Martin stopped that surge with a put-back basket at the 10:51 mark.

That was when Samanta Ludwig asserted herself. The senior forward from Toledo, Brazil, scored four straight points as part of an 8-0 Arkansas Tech run. The Suns held a 57-46 lead with 9:16 left, and their lead never went below eight points the rest of the day.

“The momentum of the game shifted when Sarah made that 3-pointer,” Arkansas Tech head coach Dave Wilbers said. “She made two or three big-time plays. That’s a credit to Sarah. She gets in the gym and does her work, and she is one of our most consistent players. She stepped up in a big way, and so did (Ludwig). We needed production from our bench, and they gave it to us.”

Martin and Ludwig combined for 14 points in the second half after the Golden Suns’ bench was held without a point in the first half.

Arkansas Tech put it away with a 12-2 run over a span of little more than three minutes. Silva’s 3-pointer at the 4:08 mark capped the spurt and gave the Suns a 71-53 advantage.

Jessica Hanna had 13 points for Lone Star Conference member Texas Woman’s (8-4), which was 4-0 against Great American Conference members this season before its loss to Arkansas Tech.

The Golden Suns will open GAC play against the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms on Thursday. Tipoff at Tucker Coliseum is set for 5:30 p.m.